DALLAS – Reverberations from the NCAA's resounding punishment of Penn State for its child sex abuse scandal were felt at Big 12 football media days on Monday, where coaches and league officials marveled at both the swiftness and extent of the sanctions.

New Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said he was struck by how soon the NCAA was able to announce the Penn State penalties, which included a $60 million fine, the loss of scholarships, a four-year postseason ban and the vacating of all victories dating back to 1998.

"Acting quickly and the NCAA are seldom mentioned in the same sentence," Bowlsby said.

Bowlsby said the one aspect of the punishment that surprised him most was the "magnitude of the fine." He also said it was an intriguing test case of the NCAA imposing sanctions in a situation that didn't include clear rules violations.

"I don't know if it's absolutely clear as to on what basis this becomes an NCAA issue," Bowlsby said. "There are some aspects of our bylaws and constitution that have to do with ethics, and clearly there were some ethical issues here."

TCU coach Gary Patterson said discussing the scandal strictly in football terms is missing the point.

"It's tragic on a lot of levels," Patterson said. "But I'm more interested in how we're going to find an answer to the problem. That's not just a Penn State problem. That's a world problem."

Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops deflected questions about the NCAA's decision, but said it was a reminder of a more important truth.

"In every way possible, children should be protected by adults," Stoops said.